OSHPD update
Molly Battistelli, HWPP Project Director

Primary Care Initiative's Health Workforce Pilot Project #171 is in its third year of operation under the approval of California's Health and Human Services Agency Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) Health Workforce Pilot Project (HWPP) Program. HWPP projects are evaluated throughout the year and approval is extended on a yearly basis, upon annual renewal application and review. In January 2009, the Primary Care Initiative applied for renewal and extension of the HWPP Project #171 through March 31st, 2010.

In February of 2009, OSHPD conducted annual site visits at three of the HWPP Project's Partner Organizations:

  • Planned Parenthood: Shasta-Diablo
  • Planned Parenthood of San Diego & Riverside Counties
  • Planned Parenthood Los Angeles.

At these visits, the site visit team included representatives of the healing arts boards, relevant professional associations and academic institutions. The team interviewed the clinician trainees, trainers, and clinical and evaluation administrators. Patient satisfaction and safety information was reviewed and a thorough audit of research and evaluation protocols, as well as the curriculum, was conducted. Formal assessments by the site visit team were subsequently given to OSHPD.

The Project, administrators, trainers and trainees received acclaim at each of the 2009 site visits—the site visit teams were impressed with the rigorous and complicated study design, the competency-based curriculum and the thoroughness of the training and support provided throughout the training and practice phases of the Project.

As the result of increased political attention paid to the HWPP Project #171 (see above information on SB761), annual renewal through March 31, 2010 has yet to be secured. In spite of this delay, OSHPD remains committed to the Project and has provided a series of incremental extensions to avoid any disruption to training and practice while administrative concerns are addressed.

ANSIRH continues to work closely with all involved to secure the success of the Project and to ensure that OSHPD's oversight and evaluation needs are met. We anticipate a full extension and will keep all of our partners updated as we move forward.

 

Back to top

For reproductive health news, see ANSIRH’s blog.